Crimson Crystal
by Luv and Peace
Summary: 500 years ago, Tomoe Yukishiro, a vampire slayermiko, banished the Kurisutaru No Inochi (Crystal of Light) out of this world into another time. It is now 2003 and the reincarnation of Tomoe, Kaoru Kamiya, enters the scene. BattouKao
1. Chapter One

Summary: 500 years ago, Tomoe Yukishiro, a vampire slayer and miko, banished the Kurisutaru No Inochi out of this world into another time. And now the year is 2003, and the reincarnation of Tomoe, Kaoru Kamiya enters the situation.

Author's Note: Well hello everybody! This is our first fic together. It was written by yours truly: LittoGrrlStephie and The Girl Who Cried Oro. We hope you will enjoy our fic and review!

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Disclaimer: We do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the Inuyasha ideas, so don't sue us!

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Crimson Crystal

By: LittoGrrlStephie and The Girl Who Cried Oro

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Chapter One: The Crystal   


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Feudal Japan   
Deep within the forest…

  
  
Tomoe was in her white gi as she raced through the forest. Her loose ebony flowed with her smoothly as she ran; the lights that came through the canopy made her hair glow radiantly. She held tightly around the item in her right hand that was around her neck, as it glowed a shade of red; signaling death was nearby. Someone was going to die, and she hoped it wasn't herself. Her grip on the red pendant tightened.

In her left hand was a small dagger with magical powers that was granted to her from her father, who was a powerful priest and vampire slayer. She had followed in his footsteps and was passed down the powerful pendant and dagger.

The dagger was used to protect, as the pendant had a deep and powerful power that not even her father knew of. But she had a gut feeling that the vampires chasing her did.

Roars were heard behind her, as vampires rushed for her with swords in their hands. They wanted that pendant, and they were going to have it. With that type of power, they would be able to rule this world with no problem at all and gain the ultimate power.

That's is why she had to protect this pendant or else the humans would be ruled by this blood and soul sucking demons. And she would risk her very own life to protect the world and its people, no matter if they were corrupted or carefree. Tomoe Yukishiro had vowed to that...no matter what.

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'You will not escape, human…'

Those words flowed into her mind with a certain vampire's silky and masculine voice. But it only made her grip the pendent tighter in her hand. She would not be intimidated by that. It took more than that to scare her off. 

Ignoring the voices she looked ahead and focus on her escape.

She remembered the first time that she had agreed to protect it and become a miko. She would not fall and make love with another until the pendant would not be needed for protection any longer.

And yet she broke that certain vow and fell in love with Akira Kiyosato. A man who had understand how she felt through this life and training ever since childhood. But he was killed...he was killed by the one called...Battousai.

She ran toward sacred grounds, if only she could get there before they got to her. They wouldn't be able to follow her in there. Only mortals could enter the area.

'Only a bit more.' Thought Tomoe running as fast as possible.

Suddenly a vampire jumped over her, and landed before her. A grin was plastered on his face as he step forth. This was going to be an all too easy assignment.

"Hand it over, _miko_," said the vampire as he stepped toward her.

"Over my dead body, _leech_." She said and tucked the pendant in her white gi. She took her dagger, which shined from the rays of the sun as if it were newly made; yet it had shed many vampires and demons with its sharp and deadly blade and mystical power.

The vampire charged at her with inhuman speed and his white fangs in a grin. He tried to grab her neck, but she was able to dodge the vampire's assault with ease. The vampire tried to use his blade to slash her, but Tomoe dodged it and slid under the vampire's arm; plunging the dagger in his heart and twisting it so it would make sure he was dead.

Tomoe saw the others catching up. She turned on her heel and ran as fast as she could; she would put her pride up and try to fight the vampires up, but she wouldn't risk that especially with some of the vampires' overwhelming auras. That pendant was before her pride. It was either as that.

There was no way she would die by a vampire's hand. She was going to leave this earth with honor. She would not let them take the pendant; she would not fail.

She ran further, but was suddenly stopped when she saw those same golden eyes that killed her loved one. It was him... it was... Battousai. The very one that nearly all vampires feared. How did he get here? was her only question.

Tomoe came to a quick stop before she could rush into the vampire before her.

"Tomoe. Where are you going? Don't you trust me? Give me the pendant and we can leave these stubborn idiots alone," said Battousai as he extended a hand to her.

She froze at the site. Battousai. His crimson red hair was in a ponytail flowed with the wind and his golden eyes shadowed by his bangs. His sensual lips curved into a smile and she looked down to his hand.

She could feel the other vampires getting closer by the second. But what was she to do? _Battousai_...the man...the _vampire_...who brought her to _love_ **_again_**...yet the very same person who **_murdered_** Akira...who was her first love. This was confusing her; she didn't know what to do.

Could she trust Battousai the vampire...his smile seemed genuine...trusting...yet she was so suspicious and doubtful. Before she had really gotten to know him; he was just like those other blood sucking demons...he was also after the pendant for his own gain.

Tomoe watched him. She couldn't take his hand. He _killed_ Akira, he _wanted_ the _pendant_, not **_her_**. That brought pain to her heart. Yet her heart desired him ached for him and his inhuman beauty, but she couldn't trust him. She just couldn't betray the pendant and not protect it.

She turned in another direction and ran off as quickly as she could. The first time she trusted him; he nearly stole the pendant from her. She would not let that happen again, even if she loved him.

Tomoe ran so fast, that she didn't notice the wet streams that trickled down his cheek as he vanished amongst the shadows again.

With tears in the corner of her eyes, she ran to where her feet guided her.

She pushed them away as she sensed the vampires hot on her trail.

Suddenly she came to a cliff. Rocks fell to the forest beneath her feet as she came to an abrupt halt. Her heart pounded as she tried to find a way out, but the vampires were encircling her. She had to get the pendant to safety.

"I won't...let them have this..." She whispered into the wind. Tomoe turn, her raven hair swung in the wind as she looked at the demons before her. The vampires surrounded her are sneering at her.

She stood there staring at all of them with a defiant expression on her face, her hand clutching the talisman on her heart that was pounding through her chest.

"Looks...like you're trapped…" Said on of the vampires who walked out of the crowd. He looked different than the other. He was covered in linen, from his head to his toe. "Just give us the pendant and we'll let you have a quick death as a parting gift, Tomoe Yukishiro."

She glared at him with her cold eyes; how she loathed him. "Never...I was handed this duty to protect this talisman and I will not hand it over to an evil like you! I swear to the gods...I swear to Akira...that you'll never get your evil palms on it, Makoto Shishio!" She replied with boldness in her voice that she rarely ever had.

"But you have no where to escape..." The vampire replied in a mocking tone.

Tomoe glanced at the cliff. There was only one way out, and it was to jump. But she needed to keep the pendant safe, they would find it if she jumped down there. The chances of her living of this battle were very slim indeed, but that didn't mean she wouldn't fight back.

She backed away from all of the grins that were given to her. They were just all too sure that they would win; she would prove them wrong.

"Admit it! You've lost. Now hand over the pendant!" ordered Shishio, as Tomoe backed away. Rocks fell to the forest bed below.

Tomoe held the pendant to her heart and closed her eyes. She began to chant words that were unreadible and understandable.

The vampires dropped their weapons and covered their ears as they fell to the ground.

"Curse you wench. Damn it, the pendant is giving her more power," yelled Shishio angrily, as he dropped to the ground, his eardrums threatened to burst at any moment.

There was a golden glow to Tomoe's outline, as it began to look like the light was pulsing around her. She ignored the power and the feeling of the light within her as she concentrated on stalling the vampires. If she could only get them to drop to mercy, so she could run away.

Tomoe felt weak, she couldn't last this long, even with the help of the pendant. She couldn't fully control the pendant's power.

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'Kami-sama, please help me. Please send the pendant to someone who can save it better than I. Please! I beg of you. Kurisutaru No Inochi, please go to the one that truly deserves you. You must save yourself. No one has the right to own you, only protect you.' Thought Tomoe with all her might.

She wished hard and long, as she chanted. This was the only way to save the talisman. There had to be some way to get rid of the pendant.

She needed to get the pendant away. Shattering will spread its shards to the four directions of the winds. And that would cause even more trouble than the situation she was in now.

She prayed while the pendant started to glow, blinding the vampires, even Shishio, but only temporarily.

Legends of the talisman, Kurisutaru No Inochi, were true. The pendant would either curse or gift its beholder. Only a pure enough soul could protect it, she realized. She summoned up all her strength and power for this moment. She looked at Shishio and then whispered. "You will never lay a finger on this…ever again!"

Tomoe soon let the talisman float over her hand and she began chanting once again. She prayed as well, that her plan would work. She knew that she could not be the one to protect it for this generation. And right now she was trapped between life and death. This is the path she had chosen. This is the path she would accept.

A glow of yellow light exploded from the Kurisutaru No Inochi as it knocked the vampires back, as if to repay Tomoe for protecting it.

Once the light vanished, the pendant was gone. Tomoe smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks; she did it. She saved the pendant.

Her knees gave way as she fell to the ground, she was so happy.

Suddenly a dagger came right at her; it was another vampire with long blonde hair that was shaped like a broom.

She closed her eyes, and waited for the plunge, she had done her duty. That was all that she cared for. But before the dagger connected with flesh, a flash of red light appeared inside her gi. It was the magical dagger; she still had it with her.

The vampire flew back and hit a tree trunk, falling unconscious. She looked at the small item, and suddenly noticed a red sphere at the hilt of it. It belonged with the Kurisutaru No Inochi, and she knew it. The dagger had to follow the talisman. But how?

There had to be some way to send the dagger as well.

Then, something struck her; blood. The dagger needed blood to travel. Not just blood, but human blood and vampire blood or else there would be no hope to save the next protector…but it also needed…her life.

She knew her destiny, and slowly unsheathed the blade. It still shined despite the blood from her previous kill. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

Raising the sword above her and it swooped down.

A loud voice boomed through the tree and birds flocked out of the trees, being frightened from the voice. "**_TOMOE!!!_**"

In a speed of light, the red headed vampire rushed to her side, catching her when she fell, the blood dripping from her chest area. Her eyes slowly began to close. She looked up at Battousai...no...Kenshin. Crystalline tears rolled down her eyes as she looked into the red haired vampire's eyes. He never really betrayed her...he was always on her side.

She lifted the mystical dagger and lightly cut the skin on his cheek completing the cross shape scar. She dropped the small blade at her other side. She smiled lightly as she felt Kenshin's tears drop and blood drip one by one on to her delicate looking pale cheek.

"Tomoe..." He whispered to his love. "You...you can't die. **_YOU CAN'T DIE!!_**"

"I'm...sorry...my love...Kenshin." She replied slowly going to death's door. "I had no choice in this...my death...I don't regret it, love...but the only thing I do regret...is not trusting you when I should have...what I did was unforgivable on my part...but please...don't let your killing get the best of you...and move on...without me..........I'm sorry....Kenshin.....remember that you do have a heart…and you must keep it that way…good bye…" She whispered lightly as her eyelids began to slowly close leading her soul away into eternal slumber, her pale cheeks still wet from her salty tears.

And as Kenshin held the Tomoe Yukishiro into his chest, shedding his own grief, while the dagger with both the blood of the vampire called Kenshin Himura and the priestess and vampire slayer, Tomoe Yukishiro, disappeared without a trace to follow the Kurisutaru No Inochi, the Crystal of Life.

~*~*~*~

A/N: So how did you like it? It's just the beginning. I guess you can say we got a few things from Inuyasha, but other than that it's pretty creative, ne?

Oh, and by the way, for people who don't know (and its says it in the last sentence), _'Kurisutaru No Inochi' _means 'Crystal of Life'.

We hope that you liked the chapter.

Please REVIEW!

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~ The Girl Who Cried Oro and LittoGrrlStephie


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: (9/26/03) The first chapter made more like a Inuyasha just changing a few things here and there. Well starting from now the story will stray more away from Takahashi-sama's ideas, so Kaoru won't be going through some well.

**A/N 2: (9/29/03) Okay I proofreader this chapter again. Thanks JML for the info. And the only reason we didn't know Sasaki's name was we were forgot. Seriously. I haven't seen the episodes with him in it for a while. Hehe.**

_A/N 3: (3/14/04) It's .een a few months since we've worked on this so therefore we've decided to go back and proofread it even more! And there are so many! --;;_

** Crimson Crystals**

**By LittoGrrlStephie and The Girl Who Cried Oro**

**Chapter Two: Day One**

_ "TOMOE!!!"_

Kaoru Kamiya sat right up from her bed, her navy blue eyes wide from her dream. Sweat formed on her forehead, her hand clutching to her chest as she struggled to calm her breathing.

That voice...the voice who was always in her dreams...it haunted her in her sleeps ...and sometimes...delighted her every waking moment. But the name that the masculine voice called...it was so familiar... but why?

She stood up and went to the bathroom. From there she turned on the faucet allowed the water to flow out and entering her cupped hands. Splashing the liquid onto her face, she could feel the cold water tingling against her skin and she sighed in relaxation. "That feels so much better..." she said to herself with a soft sigh and turned off the faucet.

Kaoru looked at herself in the mirror and stared at her own reflection. Her silky midnight hair flowed down her shoulders like a black waterfall and her skin looked pure and clean as each drop of water rolled down her face to her cheek and then dropping into the sink, making ripples in the water.

Suddenly she gasped as what she saw in the mirror. It was a beautiful young woman near her age with the same dark hair as her own, but tied in a low ponytail. They looked similar, but not that similar. And the woman in the mirror's eyes...they were filled with sorrow and burden, unlike her own.

The image in the mirror disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Kaoru blinked and saw her own reflection in the glass once again. She slowly lifted one of her hands and trailed the mirror down. She shook her head with her hand on her forehead. "I guess...I was imagining things...Kaoru no baka..."

Draining the sink, Kaoru Kamiya went back to her bed. She rested her head on the fluffy pillow and covered herself with a blanket, going back to her slumber.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of golden eyes watched her every move...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kaoru!" A girl with dark long hair yelled as she waved to her friend who was heading toward her and her other friends.

Kaoru Kamiya waved back as she entered the outside property of the school's premises. Her long hair in a ponytail, tied back with her favorite indigo ribbon. She was wearing her school uniform, which consisted of a dark blue long sleeve sailor shirt and a matching skirt that was just to her knees with her portfolio bag in her hands. "Hey! Kasumi! Sakura! Akane!" (Those three women Kenshin met in Samurai X: Trust when he was only a kid and was referred as "Shinta".)

Kaoru raced over to join her group of friends with a smile on her face.

"Where were you yesterday? You missed so much at school. And no, I don't mean schoolwork." The girl with the shoulder length black hair said to Kaoru.

"I was sick yesterday with the fever, Sakura. Huh? What do you mean? What did I miss?"

Another girl with braids answered Kaoru's question. "There's a new guy attending our school! He came yesterday and he is soo~oo hot! I mean his flaming hair and he has totally sexy eyes! Just thinking about it is going to make me faint at this very moment!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes at her boy-crazy friends. "Oh brother, can't you think of anything else but boys Akane? Is that all I miss? It doesn't really seem like much to me." She turned to the girl with her hair down. "You're the normal out of the two. Was there really anything important that I missed, Kasumi?"

"Sorry Kaoru. Not really, but the guy they were talking about is hot. Tee hee...he even makes me blush...he's different than other guys...heh..."

"Ugh...I guess I'm probably the only non-shrieking boy-crazy girl in the whole student body." Kaoru said while Sakura and Akane went into their daydream mode while Kasumi just stared at the ground with a blush across her face.

"So what's the pretty boy's name?" Kaoru asked.

"Kenshin Himura. He's a transfer. And he got one of the top scores on the entrance exams here." Kasumi explained in a whisper.

"So he's a hot nerd boy?"

"Not only that! He is also athletic! You should see him in gym during Kendo! He defeated all the guys, and was at a draw with Sensei too!!" exclaimed Akane excitedly.

"Is it me or are you guys trying to say that the guy is perfect or something? No guy can be _that perfect_. No one can."

Kasumi giggled at Kaoru's annoyed expression. "Well that's what you think."

Kaoru sighed as she watched her friend go off in their own dream world as they walked through the halls of their school towards their first class. 

Kaoru walked into the classroom with her three friends who were still dreaming about this "perfect guy". She couldn't help but get annoyed at their ridiculous blabbering about some new kid. This new pretty boy surely couldn't have been that good.

Upon entering the room, she saw that a swarm of girls were crowded around the usually empty desk beside her, so that she couldn't get a view of what or more like who they were screaming about. Hearing her two friends squeal she had a good hunch that the center of attention was the new student.

"Can you guys move away from my desk?" asked Kaoru loudly, she wasn't in a good mood morning and that vision that she saw early just made it worse.

The squealing fan girls ignored her, causing Kaoru to get even more annoyed. She was about to speak when the teacher entered the room and slammed his book on his desk.

"That's enough! Will you all just shut up and get back to your seats? Oh yes. Welcome back Miss Kamiya," said the teacher with a forced smile on.

"Sorry Mr. Amakusa," said the girls as they all settled down, and went back to their seats. It wasn't smart to mess with their teacher; they guy had always had this strange and mysterious aura around him.

Kaoru sighed in relief when she was finally able to sit down, and noticed that her three friends were staring at the guy next to her.

She finally turned to face him for the first time. As her eyes went over his features, she had to force back a snicker. He really was a pretty boy! He had long red hair, which was placed in a high ponytail that even girls would die to have and he almost looked feminine. If it wasn't for that scar on his face...which was so...familiar...and his piercing amber eyes and the aura that was around him, she would have mistaken him for a girl.

But his eyes…they seemed so familiar, and she couldn't help but get caught in his gaze. It didn't help that he was giving her a grin that made her the other girls, including her friends, want to faint.

Kaoru turned her head, pulling away from his hypnotizing stare as the teacher started his lesson. She sighed...the lectures and lessons were boring as usual. So she snuck out a pencil, so she could doodle. She thought about what to draw, but no ideas came to her mind.

Turning her head slowly, she peeked at the new student called Kenshin and hoped that he didn't notice. She stared at his profile and narrowed her eyes. His face was beautiful and she couldn't help turn her head back to her paper and sketch the side of his face.

Kaoru first lightly sketched the outline of the side view of his face. Then she started on his hair and drew that quickly. Next, she drew his piercing eyes, making sure that it looked real. When she looked into his eyes, she couldn't help, but see sadness in them...and could wondered what secrets laid there.

Kaoru then turned to her next step and quickly sketched the large cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. She wondered how he had gotten such an injury like that...she seemed to have seen it before...

A flash of light passed through her, as she saw scenery of trees. It was shocking to see that many trees after living in the city. But that wasn't what caught her eye; there was a figure beside her. He looked like Kenshin. But he was smiling, and his eyes were bright and happy. There was no sadness to them, and he seemed to have... amethyst eyes?

Kaoru jumped when Mr. Amakusa looked her in the face. She blushed as she realized that she had been daydreaming.

"Will you get out of your daydream Miss Kamiya, and get back to work?" asked Mr. Amakusa, but it was more like an order.

Kaoru bowed her head and stuck her face into her book, but not before quickly finishing her doodle. No, it had become more than that. She would make it into a masterpiece. But not just yet...she would add the true feelings that lay beneath the true person...and maybe find the real Kenshin Himura.

As she finished the picture, she thought about her opinion about him. At first, she thought he was some snobby pretty boy, because of how her friends acted. But when she first spotted him…she was mystified by him. Those amber eyes...that scar and his flaming red locks that seemed more like blood as she looked at it harder. She sensed a mysterious aura coming from him as well. It was dark, yet not evil. His aura tickled her skin gently and sent shivers down her spine.

She completed the sketch and the shadowing of the picture and then carefully slid the paper in a folder so it wouldn't crumple. She lightly smiled. Satisfied that she was done, Kaoru lifted her head up and actually listened to the lesson that was being held.

The rest of class was pretty quiet, and not that many were giving Kenshin looks anymore; they were all too busy paying attention. Their teacher was giving them all the: pay attention or get in big trouble look, so they obediently complied.

~*~*~*~

"I told you he was hoo~oot," said Akane as they headed toward their next class in the hall. It was going to be another round of goggling over Kenshin. But this time, Kaoru knew exactly how they felt.

Stop thinking like that. _'He probably doesn't even pay attention to me. The guy has practically the entire school of girls after him.'_ Thought Kaoru bitterly; shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts.

"Hurry up, we have physics next, and I don't want to miss anything. You know how terrible I am at equations. I need all the time in class to get help from the teacher," said Sakura as she pushed them along; it was a good thing that the four had most of the same classes together. 

They only had two subjects apart, and they were Kaoru's most dreaded classes. She was never good at History and Chemistry.

They all walked to physics class together. As they entered the room, Kaoru noticed that only half the class was there.

Kaoru blinked. Kenshin was there sitting in a seat with girls all around him. He was ignoring their yaps and turned to see Kaoru standing in front of the class.

She was soon caught in his gaze once again. A smirk tugged his lips as a blush rose to her cheeks. She looked away from his direction and mumbled, "Jerk..."

It made him smirk even more, but she didn't see it because she had turned her attention back to her friends.

Kaoru sat down by her friends, and waited for class to begin. 

She was chatting with the girls and stared at them confused when they all had that dreamy look in their eyes again. Kaoru slowly turned around, and found her self facing amber eyes that locked securely on her own sapphire orbs. This time, he seemed to have drowned her in his depths.

"What?" Kaoru asked angrily, trying desperately to get her attention to wander away from his golden gaze. She didn't like the feeling of his eyes on her. It was as if he were staring deep into her soul, and knowing her every feeling. The way he watched her, it delighted her, yet scared her. It was as if he was watching her like a predator watching its prey, and she hated the fact that she was in the prey's position.

"Come on students! Class has started; this is not the time to socialize! Get into your seats." An old woman said as she entered the classroom.

The student scurried to their seats quickly.

Kaoru sighed deeply. Why were all her teachers so strict?

"Hey, Kaoru, it seems that Kenshin likes you." Kasumi whispered; slightly smirking as she saw a light blush crept to Kaoru's cheeks.

"What?! What the hell are you talking about!?"

"Don't lie to us like you don't know. He's been watching you since first period!" Akane giggled quietly.

Sakura sighed. "I'm so jealous, Kaoru. I wish he would just give me a glance."

_'Well, personally I think he should stop...'_

The old woman started to teach physics, but a person entered, interrupting the class from the learning. He was a tall young man with spiky brown hair; a red bandana was wrapped around his forehead and he was endlessly chewing on a toothpick.

"Sanosuke Sagara! You're late..._again_."

"Yeah, I know. Just sack it. It's not like it's unusual." He replied calmly as he walked towards his seat. He looked at Kenshin and Kaoru noticed that they both exchange glances like they were having a conversation without a verbal talk. Then he shrugged and went toward his seat, but not before greeting Kaoru. "Hey Missy, how are you doing today?"

"Hello to you Sano. Late as usual I see."

He just grinned and went and took his seat in the back. He lounged back in his chair and placed his feet on the desk casually.

The teacher sighed. "Disrespectful to teachers as usual, Mr. Sagara. I wonder how your parents survived."

Sano ignored the old woman as she went back to teaching.

"So what do you think of the new kid?" asked Sano, as he leaned toward Kaoru.

Kaoru only shrugged. She wasn't about to tell her friend from freshman year that she thought the guy that she just met was hot, handsome, and drop dead sexy.

Sano gave a grin to Kenshin, whose eyes seemed to sparkle a bit.

Kaoru cocked her head at Sano. Something was obviously going on, and she wanted to know what and she hated to be kept in the dark. It seemed that the two knew each other from somewhere. But Sano was usually at home or hanging out with the other guys. She was sure she never saw him with Kenshin.

"Miss Kamiya, can you come up here and share with the class the laws of physics?" asked the teacher.

Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin, as she hastily went up to the class with a blush on her face. She then began to recite the laws of physics. Oh, how she loathed this class.

Luckily for her, art was next. It was one of her favorite subjects, and she really couldn't wait. 

When she got to the art room, Kaoru immediately went to get her things and set up her artwork that she started a few weeks ago.

"Class." The art teacher started. "Just continue with your paintings. And if you don't get them finished it by today, I recommend you to stay after school and complete them."

There were a bunch of murmurs in the classes.

Kaoru started to paint her artwork. She had started mixing the colors of her artwork and trying her best to make the painting look as life like as she could.

It was a picture of a dagger and it reflected the image of a young man holding a beautiful dying woman in his arms. She didn't know how she was inspired to paint this. Maybe it was the dream she had so long ago when she was young...

"Miss Kamiya...your work is very beautiful. From what I can see, there is a story in this. Very well done as usual" The teacher complimented.

She grinned and continued to brush the paint over the canvas perfectly.

She dipped the painting, and began to work on the male's hair. For some reason she pictured Kenshin as the one holding the woman. Kaoru shook her head. So, she lightly dipped the brush into the blue paint, and mixed it with white. They were her favorite colors. She used that for his hair, and jade green eyes. It looked weird, and her mind kept placing Kenshin in the man's position. 

Kaoru involved herself in her painting. She had learned to express herself through drawings and sculptures since she was young. Her dreams had been plaguing her from as long as she could remember. So artwork was something that allowed her to express how she felt.

"Why are you drawing such a sad picture?" asked a masculine voice behind her, that threatened to make her bones melt. His voice was to die for.

"It just came to me...I guess," said Kaoru, not sure what to say as she moved aside for him to see the entire picture.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed at the picture, and she found that the sadness in his eyes had steeled. It was as if the picture triggered something within him that made him want to be left alone from everyone else.

He glanced at her with a bit of sorrow that left Kaoru confused as he walked back to his canvas across from hers.

"I wonder...what that was all about..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The gym was loud as usual, as the students changed into their gym clothes. Each wore a white top, and blue shorts for the school colors.

They all rushed to the center of the gym and sat in a round circle made with a positioning of boy, girl, boy, girl. The students waited patiently for their gym teacher to come in and take role.

The gym teacher was name Sasaki, but everyone just called him Sensei, meaning teacher of course. He wasn't just the gym teacher, but one of the writing and reading teachers as well.

"Sensei sure is taking his time," said Kasumi, from the other side of a boy that sat beside Akane.

That was when a man in his late 30s walked out. He had a bokken in hand, and he wore the school gym clothes as well. Their sensei had a mustache and beard, and was pretty fit for his age. ((He's the guy that was the teacher, and use to be a manslayer. He's also one of Sano's friends. He taught the poor children to write.))

"Good morning students," said the sensei.

"Good morning sensei," responded the children in unison.

"Today, we'll be having kendo tryouts. We want the best team this year, so we can beat all of the other high schools. Those who want to tryout, go and change into your gi and hakamas and stay in the right of the room. Those who don't wish to participate go to the left. You can practice your strokes, or just be quiet," ordered the sensei.

Kaoru immediately went back to the locker room to put a gi and hakama like some of the other students. Then she came right back and went to the appointed area that Sasaki had ordered. Out of all of her friends, only she wanted to try out for kendo. She was the only one out of her small group that liked kendo anyway, and took it seriously.

About 1/4 of the class went to try out for kendo; the others went to the left to socialize.

"So let's begin. Who to choose though?" asked the sensei as he thought about it.

"How about Himura and Kamiya begin the first round?"

Kaoru blinked at him, and finally noticed that Kenshin was right behind her. She had a bad feeling about this, and with what her friends told her about how good he was she was taking second thoughts about trying out for Kendo this year. Kaoru gulped as she and Kenshin made their way to the center of the gym.

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TGWCO: Well something messed up my comp, and the work that had been proofread and fixed is still at its horrible format. And so I did it again, though the other one was actually better. Oh well. It's late, and I need my sleep. ::yawns:: Tell me if you see any mistakes; minor or not.

LGS: Hope to see you next time! Thank goodness that it's fully revised now! YAY!!!

~ _The Girl Who Cried Oro and LittoGrrlStephie_


	3. Chapter Three

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A/N: Well this chapter was delayed. Sorry about that, but at least we have it out. And most of the corrections are made in the last chapter. Thank to JML for giving some info out. We forgot Sasaki's name. And I haven't seen the episode that he was in for a long time. Well we hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Crimson Crystals

By LittoGrrlStephie and The Girl Who Cried Oro

Chapter Three: Match

As Kaoru walked up to the center of the ring, she picked up one of the school bokkens on the way. Kenshin did the same as her and they both step to the center of the gym; each of them on the opposite sides of the circle.

"Are you two both ready?" Sasaki asked.

Everyone in the gym watched the two. Kenshin nodded.

Kaoru looking at her current opponent said, "Yes."

With that, Sasaki raised his hand the air and brought it down in a swift motion. "Begin!"

Before Kaoru got the chance to even blink, her opponent was gone. The class all gasped, and even Sasaki had to rub his eyes to see if they were working right.

_'Where...did her go?' _Thought Kaoru, as she grabbed the hilt of her bokken tighter, and looked around the ring for the red head.

Suddenly, there was a tap at her left shoulder. She turned around, and noticed a bokken to her shoulder and a slight smirk on Kenshin's face.

"Himura gets a point," yelled the sensei, as he raised a hand.

He walked past Kaoru to the other side. As he passed Kaoru he whispered into her ears, "I guess that's one point for me and none for you..."

_'The cocky bastard...but I have to admit, he's really fast.' _Thought Kaoru, as she jumped back and got into a stance. She wasn't going to back down just yet, even if she couldn't catch up to him. Kaoru Kamiya wasn't one to give up so easily.

Once again, when Kaoru charged at him, she swiped her wooden weapon down, only to swing at air.

This was getting tiring. Kaoru gritted her teeth as she came to a halt. '_I've got to concentrate._ _His ki has to still be in the ring somewhere._'She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on finding him.

'_Where are you, Himura Kenshin…?_' She thought and then something coming behind her. She immediately turned around and saw Kenshin coming toward her in at such incredible speed. Almost god-like. But focusing her strength, Kaoru swung her bokken at him. But thinking she had hit the man, Kaoru felt a small poke at her back. She blinked and turned her head. Kenshin was behind her and kept poking her back with back with the bokken.

Everyone in the class blinked and then cheered even if it was just tryouts.

"Second point for Himura!" Sasaki yelled again and brought down his arm.

Kaoru glared at him before jumping back. She realized he was only playing around with her. The creep was going to pay, and she was going to make him pay. Gripping the handle of her bokken more tightly, she waited for her sensei to blow the whistle before charging at the guy. Amazingly enough, Kenshin didn't vanish again causing their bokkens to collide.

The two were staring into each other's eyes, and Kaoru could swear that his amber eyes held amusement in them. It only made Kaoru angrier, causing her to pushed harder that it almost caused the two wooden weapons to nearly break from the force of their collisions.

Kenshin's eyes became a bit shocked at her sudden strength, as he jumped back from the force she was creating.

'_Her aura has changed._'Thought Kenshin as he looked at her oddly.

Kaoru took in deep breaths before fixing her handle on her bokken, and getting into another stance.

"So Kamiya, you do so have experience after all." He taunted, to make her even angrier. He wanted to see more of her power and a little more of her extent. "Come."

"If that is what you so desire." She replied and gripped the wooden sword tighter and looked straight into Kenshin's eyes. "Here, I come!"

As soon as that happened, Kenshin prepared into a stance of his own.

Tension rose into the air. Everyone could feel it, no matter whom they were.

Kaoru charged at him with everything she had, but when he went into a crotch position and one hand on the hilt of his sword, something clicked in Kaoru's head.

She suddenly stopped in mid-attack just as he let out his attack. Realizing, as if this were a memory, she dropped to the floor as his attack went upward in an arc.

Kaoru used her bokken to hit his knees, but he suddenly somersaulted backwards on one hand, causing the whole class to cheer.

'_How did she know my attack?_'Kenshin landed on the opposite side of her, and gave her an odd look.

Kaoru only grinned at him triumphantly. '_If I can just do something like that I again, I might just get him next time._'Thought Kaoru, as she held her bokken with both hands, and got ready for Kenshin's next attack.

'_I guess I can't go so easy on her than I thought_. _But then again, she has her power. Or at least some of it._' Kenshin grinned and suddenly vanished again. '_Oh well. At least I'll have more fun in this little spar of ours.'_

He charged at her with his god-like speed. Kaoru was surprised that she could suddenly see some blurs of him. From there, she took her bokken and concentrated hard on his ki and then she turned around again and blocked his attack with her bokken. Then she pushed him backwards.

When Kenshin was pushed back, he flipped in the air and landed with grace of that of a cat. By that, he pushed his feet up and soared toward Kaoru in a full throttle.

Kaoru saw it and their bokkens hit each other. His assault was pushing her back and Kaoru trying to hold herself.

He then flipped in the air and landed behind her. Kaoru turned around to clash her bokken with his once again.

'_How in the world does she know what I'm going to do?_'Kenshin jumped back and looked into her determined sapphire orbs. Her eyes were way different than Tomoe's ever was. For one thing they were sapphire while Tomoe was charcoal. Another thing was that Kaoru's eyes were filled with bright determination instead of the sorrow that Tomoe held.

They were more mesmerizing, and it lured him to her. She wasn't at all like Tomoe. This girl had more energy, more spirit, determination, and was a lot more temperamental. But one thing for sure was that they both had that mysterious power that always caught him off guard.

Kaoru realized her opportunity and charged at him in the gut, but before she could make contact he had vanished from sight.

Suddenly she looked up, and he was coming down on her with the bokken first. She stopped in place, and suddenly as if on instinct, she moved her legs apart and pushed her bokken up so that the two clashed. 

The pressure of the attack pushed her down, and nearly sank them both in the ground.

Realizing that the floor could give way, Kenshin somersaulted away, and landed just before her.

Kaoru was panting, but the grip on her bokken tightened. She glared at him, and fire clashed with ice.

Taking in a deep breath, she charged at him again. 

This time, Kenshin didn't allow her to get so close. He jumped over her, and was about to attack her from the back again, when she turned and blocked.

Gritting his teeth, Kenshin jumped back and pushed on the floor and attacked head on.

"That's enough! I think we've seen enough. You've both made it," yelled Sasaki, he was astonished, and didn't want them to go at each other until one died or fell unconscious.

Kenshin skidded to a halt just in front of Kaoru, so that they were practically nose-to-nose. 

Blushing, Kaoru pushed him aside and walked back out of the circle, but her sensei put up a hand.

"Kaoru," said Sasaki, his eyes narrowed in seriousness.

She bit her lower lip and stalked back to Kenshin, before putting out a hand to him in a sportsmanship manner.

Grinning, Kenshin took the offer and the two shook on it.

Kaoru felt a jolt go through her as they connected, and quickly bowed to him before going back to her friends. She sat down and thought about how weird that just felt, when Sasaki called another pair up.

She cleaned the sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her gi. Her friends were besides her.

"Kaoru! You were awesome! Matching Himura like that! That battle was amazing!" Sakura said as she placed a hand on the tomboy's shoulders.

"Yeah. We never see you fight like that with your bokken. It was amazing. You have definitely improved since the last time we saw you spar." Kasumi complimented and smiled.

Kaoru smiled happily at her friend's support. "Thanks."

Kaoru felt a pair of eyes to her and turned her head and her eyes fell on Kenshin. But his eyes were watching the current pair trying out for kendo. She swore, that he had been staring at her.

Kaoru quickly shrugged it off and joined back in her friends' conversation.

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Kaoru and her friends quickly changed before heading toward the cafeteria. 

The cafeteria was swarming with students talking, joking, and studying. It was louder than the gym, and you could hardly hear yourself think. It was amazing how some still managed to study in all of this.

Kaoru and her three best friends sat down at their usually table by the window, and Kasumi got up and got them something to drink.

"So what do you think of Himura now?" asked Sakura with a grin.

Kaoru rolled her eyes, and looked out the window.

"Hello ladies," came Sano's voice, Kenshin was right behind him.

The other two girls were staring at Kenshin, as Kaoru snorted in disgust. For some reason, she really didn't like the guy. It was either the fact that he basically beat her at her best sport, or that he kept looking at her.

"What do you want Sano?" asked Kaoru angrily.

"I just came over to chat is all," said Sano innocently.

"If you're asking for money again, then forget it," snapped Kaoru. Sano was known for borrowing money; the guy practically owed every student in high school a dollar or more.

"Look Missy, does it really look like I would need more money?" asked Sano offended.

Kaoru only rolled her eyes, as Sano sat down, and forced Kaoru to sit next to Kenshin.

Kaoru sighed, tearing her eyes off of Kenshin and looking straight at Sano. "If you're not here for money, then what are you here for? I know you're not here just to 'chat' as you so say. So what is it?"

"We're just here to hang out with you and your pretty friends." Sano replied as he winked at Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura. They giggled in reaction to his flirtation.

Both Kaoru and Kenshin rolled their eyes and Sano just grinned while chewing the fishbone that was in his mouth.

She heard Kasumi, Akane, and Sakura whisper among each other and giggle. Kaoru was curious on what they were talking about.

"Hey, Kaoru. Us three are going to go to the bathroom." Akane said.

"All…three of you?" Kaoru asked suspiciously.

They grinned and nodded and then quickly scurried off.

Kaoru blinked.

She soon growled and swore under her breath when she realized what they were doing. They were leaving her to the wild dogs a.k.a. Sano and Kenshin. It was obvious since the ladies restroom was on the opposite direction on where they were going.

Kaoru looked back at Sano and Kenshin. Sanosuke was whistling innocently or trying to at least. Something was definitely up. And she was going to get that information from Sano, even if she had to choke it out of him.

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**Review Responses**

JML: Thanks for the info. The last chapter is proofread more.

kiesmoon: You'll see when she'll find that dagger and pendant. She'll find it sooner or later. ^_~

Kaoru23: ::claps:: Yeah! Thanks for reading it. Now why won't you update you story… _ _ _ _ ^_^

Tsugoi Kakarlena and Icegal1: It kind of sounds like Inuyasha because we got the idea off of Inuyasha. With the Shikon no Tama and stuff. And plus the miko business. But in here Kaoru doesn't really go back to the feudal era by a well and Kenshin isn't a inu hanyou. ^_^

chris37: Yeah, Kaoru is Tomoe's reincarnation.

Ruriko2: Well explaining the supernatural stuff, will be answer throughout the story. If your confused, then you have to wait and find your answer later. If you have any certain questions, tell me or LGS and I'm sure we'll answer it. ^.~

ArchAngel of Fire: Well, Kenshin survived because Kenshin is a _vampire_. That's why and he could live up to modern day Japan. ^__^' I hope that fact fades a bit of your confusement. @_@ Oro. ^________^


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